A small slice of New England

Rusted Metal Makeover

One outstanding item from the bathroom project was the heater cover. Due to the water damage from the previous bathroom as well as being near water for many years the heater cover was very rusted. This rust was raised and bumpy and I thought beyond all help. However, with a bit of elbow grease and a couple of new discoveries, this heater cover was salvaged and I could finally consider the bathroom project finished!

First, the most important thing to do is sand down the lumpy, bumpy mess to as smooth a surface as possible. I used a palm sander with 60 grit sandpaper to start. I followed this with one round of 80 grit and then two rounds of 100 grit. For those of you not in the know… the higher the number the smoother/ finer the sandpaper. You always want to start low and move higher.

Next, I used Navy Jelly Rust Remover. Now, the US Navy has lots of metal ships in salt water so they know a thing or two about rust removal… so I painted a liberal layer of this curiously hot pink goop over the surface of the heater cover. Waited 5 to 10 minutes… and then rinsed with water and let dry. It is important to note that once you do this step you start the clock… you should prime or otherwise protect the surface from more rust within 24 hours.

Third step is to prime and for this I chose a metal Rustoleum product and applied two coats. To be sure of even coverage I used a paint roller which would also provide a texture that would match the walls. For the areas that the roller could not cover (vent slats) I used a brush and then followed with another roller session in order to keep the overall texture as even as possible.

Lastly, I applied the color. Same process as the primer and I also chose to cover using two coats to be sure it was even. There was some unusual bumpiness in the paint so I did a light sanding between the two color coats. The mounting screws also got a bit of primer and color to be sure the overall effect was as seamless as possible.

Honestly, I am not sure why I waited a year to tackle this project… but I am glad it is finally done!!